Purdue University Curriculum and Instruction EDCI 32500: Literacy in the Primary Classroom Fall 2011 Instructor: Dr. Judith T. Lysaker BRNG 4168 494-2355 jlysaker@purdue.edu Office Hours: By appointment. Meeting Time and Place: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30-11:45 a.m. in BRNG 1222. Required Reading and Materials Bear, D. R., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2008 or 2012). Words their way: Word study for phonics, vocabulary, and spelling instruction (4th ed. or 5th ed.). Boston: Pearson. Collins, K. (2004). Growing readers: Units of study in the primary classroom. Portland, ME: Stenhouse. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, DHHS. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: Reports of the subgroups (NIH Publication No. 00-4754). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. (Available for free download at <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs_details.cfm?from=reading&pubs_id=88>.) Hesse, K. (1998). Just juice. New York: Scholastic. (Available at Von s on 8-26) Ray, K. W., & Cleaveland, L. B. (2004). About the authors: Writing workshop with our youngest writers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. (Available at Von s on 8-26) School Talk. National Council of Teachers of English. (Issues of School Talk will be assigned as needed and will be electronically available.) See the College of Education Web site for important information regarding your Teacher Education program: <http://www.education.purdue.edu/>.
2 Course Description In this course, students will study how children s oral language develops, how they learn to read and write in K-3 classrooms, and the teacher s role in this process. They will (a) develop a sound background in theory and research about children s language and literacy development and learning; (b) learn how literacy learning, teaching, and assessment in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing can be effectively and systematically integrated and diversified to meet individual or group needs; (c) design and implement developmentally appropriate literacy instruction for the primary student; (d) employ strategies to meet the cognitive and affective literacy needs of all children; and (e) create, integrate, and use data from various forms of assessment to inform teaching and learning processes. Rationale for Course To successfully meet the needs of today s learners, prospective teachers need to develop: (a) a sound background in theory and research about children s language and literacy development and learning; (b) theoretical knowledge and practical techniques for developing sound practices of literacy and language instruction and assessment in classroom contexts; and (c) information about how literacy learning, teaching, and assessment can be effectively and systematically integrated and diversified to meet individual or group needs. Specifically, students will study sociocultural, social constructivist, and cognitive theories and aspects of literacy learning; conditions of learning that promote engagement; the development of literacy from emergent through third grade conventional levels; the design of reading and writing lessons within research-based literacy frameworks; various types of texts, literacy-related technologies, and their use in the classroom; the design of developmentally and culturally appropriate instruction; and the continuous assessment of students learning and use of this information to inform future teaching and learning activities. These concepts are critical to effective literacy learning and pedagogy. EDCI 32500 has been designed according to a spiraling and experiential model of learning. Fundamental issues and concepts will be introduced and revisited in different contexts and at different levels of difficulty over the course of the semester. Revisiting concepts through a spiraling approach, coupled with an experiential model that supports opportunities for feedback, reflection, skills, and scaffolding, is a research-based, systematic teaching method that helps students consolidate knowledge, skills, and strategies more effectively. Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) Principles Addressed The following table indicates the specific INTASC Principles addressed in EDCI 32500. INTASC Principle 1. The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students. How the Principle Is Addressed Preservice teachers are introduced to the philosophy and research undergirding basic concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of language/literacy development and the social studies. Students then use this knowledge to construct (a) two primary literacy lesson plans; and (b) an Elementary Literacy Project with assessment-based literacy lessons.
3 2. The teacher understands how children learn and develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social, and personal development. 3. The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. 4. The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. 5. The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. 6. The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom. 7. The teacher plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals. Preservice teachers learn about children s development of language, literacy, and knowledge of community, culture, and citizenship. Preservice teachers watch video of K-2 classrooms, analyze teaching strategies using online resources at mylabschool, and research children s cognitive, social, and emotional growth during their first 3 years in school. Preservice teachers use this information to write lesson plans that include differentiated and developmentally appropriate literacy instruction. Preservice teachers learn how differences in race, culture, economic resources, abilities, and gender may affect students approaches to learning and how these differences may be addressed through instructional strategies. In addition, preservice teachers are asked to construct lessons addressing one or more of these differences. Preservice teachers learn a variety of instructional strategies appropriate for meeting the needs of diverse learners and the curricular goals of the language arts and social studies in the elementary school. Preservice teachers select appropriate strategies for use with a variety of students across different grade and developmental levels. Preservice teachers plan instruction for students addressing the issues of motivation, engagement, and collaborative learning. Specific strategies are written into lesson plans to address motivation, engagement, and collaboration in the K-2 environment. Preservice teachers develop knowledge about students home and school communications patterns (influence of cultural backgrounds), and differences between oral and written texts. Preservice teachers learn how to foster effective discussions centered around texts and apply this knowledge in designing lessons. Preservice teachers plan individual lessons addressing curricular goals. The students evaluate and analyze writing and spelling samples from local elementary classrooms, create groups based on student needs, and plan both writing and spelling instructions.
4 8. The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner. 9. The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally. 10. The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students learning and well-being. Preservice teachers learn about and evaluate various formal and informal assessment strategies designed to determine students literacy learning and apply selected forms of informal assessment to suggest appropriate instruction that addresses learners intellectual, social, and physical development. Preservice teachers use a variety of tools to assess writing and spelling samples, observe classrooms on video, and analyze the students learning styles, responses, social interactions, and physical needs. Critical reflection is emphasized throughout this course. Preservice teachers watch video and hear teachers reflect on the lessons taught and explain their plans for future instruction. Preservice teachers also watch lessons, analyze the teachers effectiveness, and discuss their observations and ideas with peers. Preservice teachers learn the value of developing relationships with school colleagues and parents. Learning Goals As a result of active participation in EDCI 32500, students will address the INTASC (Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium) Principles and ACEI (Association for Childhood Education International) Goals listed below: 1. Understand current models and theories of language and literacy development, learning, assessment, and responsive teaching. Identify and analyze current (and often controversial) issues in literacy development, learning, assessment, and instruction. (INTASC Principles: 1, 2, 3, 9. ACEI Goals: 1.0, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4.) 2. Identify patterns of language, and reading and writing development among elementary school children. (INTASC Principles: 2, 3, 6. ACEI Goals: 1.0, 2.1, 4.0, 5.2.) 3. Understand and evaluate a continuum of approaches to teaching language development, reading, and writing; this continuum is anchored by explicit skills and strategies-based and whole language instruction. Students will work toward an integrated, balanced approach to literacy learning and teaching that includes explicit minilessons, literature-based instruction, reading/writing workshops, and concomitant strategies. (INTASC Principles: 1, 2, 4, 7, 9. ACEI Goals: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 5.1.) 4. Understand the specific skills and strategies involved in the development of students language, reading and writing abilities for different purposes, goals, and audiences, and the
5 role of motivation and interest in students learning. (INTASC Principles: 3, 4, 5, 6. ACEI Goals: 1.0, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 5.1.) 5. Critically examine and evaluate literacy curricula, technologies, programs, and practices that are employed in public schools. (INTASC Principle: 9. ACEI Goals: 3.2, 5.1, 5.2.) 6. Develop and reflect upon lesson plans that integrate reading and language arts instruction with instruction in other subject areas; these lessons infuse appropriate technologies and are based on sound reasoning, current research, and best practice. (INTASC Principles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. ACEI Goals: 2.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.5, 5.1.) 7. Understand and implement formal and informal assessment tools (e.g., analysis of spelling and writing samples) and how the results of these tools influence instructional decisions; critique selected informal assessment tools (e.g., portfolios) to determine the potential strengths and possible weaknesses of these tools in documenting students literacy learning. (INTASC Principles: 1, 2, 7, 8. ACEI Goals: 2.1, 3.2, 4.0.) Requirements and Assignments 1. Quizzes (200 points). There will be five quizzes throughout the semester. The overall focus of this section is on theory, research, and instruction as they relate to the components of literacy and the language arts, developmentally appropriate assessment, assessment-driven differentiated or multilevel instruction, learning to write using the six-trait model, working with words (including spelling patterns), and vocabulary development in the primary grades. Professional vocabulary related to these aspects will be a part of the quizzes. 2. Word Work Station (125 points). You and a partner will complete a diagnostic assessment on a set of spelling inventories, summarize your findings, and create a word work station to meet the needs of the students. 3. Participation (75 total points). The success of this course depends in large part on the amount of sharing, dialogue, and debate that goes on among all of us. Part of any educational experience, and particularly one aimed at professional socialization, involves building a community of active, engaged, reflective participants. To this end, all of you are asked to become full members of our classroom community from the beginning. This means that you will come to each class having completed all assigned readings, that you will be prepared to engage in classroom discussions and activities, and that you will have prepared responses/questions about concepts and issues assigned via reading guides or that you found difficult to understand or simply wish to discuss further. 4. Elementary Literacy Project (ELP): Unit of Study (550 points). The ELP consists of three steps. You will complete this with a partner. The first step requires you to research and present information to the class about the development of students at a particular grade level. The second step involves a diagnostic assessment of a group of writing samples and the analysis of your findings. You will complete the third step using a workshop approach. You will construct a unit of study for young readers and writers with one of your peers who is interested in creating a unit around the same idea or topic. Your unit of study will primarily focus on producing a specific type of writing. The unit will include: a summary of the unit and the product the students will produce, a rationale explaining the purpose and reasoning behind the unit based on your diagnostic assessment information and the student characteristics
6 for your grade level, one introductory lesson, two writing lessons, two reading lessons, a sketch of the overall unit, and an annotated bibliography. These lessons should connect in a coherent way and demonstrate your knowledge of literacy curriculum. You will then present your unit to the class. The purpose of this assignment is to give you a structured opportunity to plan curriculum for a whole class in reading and/or writing. Your unit of study should clearly demonstrate what you have learned about units of study from readings, class discussions, and class demonstrations. 5. Tool Box (50 points). Throughout the semester, materials will be gathered into a binder that will move with you into Block III. 6. Children s Literature in the Primary Classroom (100 points). The workshop approach to literacy instruction depends on the use of children s literature as a central teaching resource. For this assignment you will read 25 high-quality children s books appropriate for K-2 classroom use. You will be asked to write reader responses for each book and to describe the potential use of each book for children learning to read and write. 7. Miscellaneous Class Assignments (100 points). Individual instructors may assign additional in class or out of class assignments. 8. Final (100 points). A cumulative final will be on Blackboard during final s week. Failure to turn in any assignment will result in an Incomplete for the course. Grading Course grades (based on the new Krannert School of Management policy of + / grading) will be based on total points earned, and the following scale will be used to assign final grades. Grade Percentage A+ 97-100 % A 92-96.9% A 90-91.9% B + 87-89.9% B 82-86.9% B 80-81.9% C + 77-79.9% C 72-76.9% C 70-71.9% D + 67-69.9% D 62-66.9% D 60-61.9% F < 60.0%
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8 University and Course Policies Emergency Statement. In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines, and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other circumstances. Here are ways to get information about changes in this course: Blackboard or your instructor. (Instructor contact information is provided on the first page of this syllabus.) Students are required to visit <http://www.education.purdue.edu/discovery/emergency.html> to review the response procedures for emergencies in Beering Hall. It is necessary that you review these directions within the first week of your Beering classes. If you have any questions, see your instructor. Disabilities Statement. Students with disabilities must be registered with the Disability Resource Center of the Office of the Dean of Students before classroom accommodations can be provided. If you have a disability that requires academic adjustments, please make an appointment with your instructor to discuss your needs before the third class meeting. Special arrangements with the instructor must be made during this time frame. If you do not contact the instructor, it is assumed that you will not need any special accommodations and none will be provided during the semester. Official Purdue Academic Dishonesty Statement. Purdue prohibits dishonesty in connection with any University activity. Cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the University are examples of dishonesty [Part 5, Section III-B-2-a, University Regulations]. Furthermore, the University Senate has stipulated that the commitment of acts of cheating, lying, and deceit in any of their diverse forms (such as the use of substitutes for taking examinations, the use of illegal cribs, plagiarism, and copying during examinations) is dishonest and must not be tolerated. Moreover, knowingly to aid and abet, directly or indirectly, other parties in committing dishonest acts is in itself dishonest [University Senate Document 72-18, December 15, 1972]. EDCI 32500 Academic Dishonesty Statement. All of your writing must be your own and must be referenced according to American Psychological Association (APA) style. Directions for APA style are available at <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/>. Do not copy work from other students, from texts, computer-based sources, or any other source. Failure to appropriately reference other people s ideas and words constitutes plagiarism. According to the Dean of Student s Office, plagiarism is punishable by an F on the assignment or in the entire class. Please consult your student handbook for more information. The Dean of Student s Office also requires that all cases of plagiarism be reported to their office for documentation. Students who repeatedly plagiarize may be expelled from the university. Disposition Assessment Form (Form D-2) will be filed for any student who plagiarizes or commits other acts of academic dishonesty. Elementary Education Course Completion Statement. Elementary Education majors have two opportunities to enroll in and pass required EDCI, EDPS, and EDST courses with a minimum grade of C. Withdrawal from a course (W or WF) constitutes one of the two opportunities. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will result in dismissal from the Elementary Education Program. Courses repeated to improve a grade must be taken at the West Lafayette campus. [Approved by the Elementary Teacher Education Committee, April 20, 2007.]
9 Course Evaluation Statement. During the last 2 weeks of the semester, you will be provided with an opportunity to evaluate this course and your instructor(s). Purdue now uses an online course evaluation system. Near the end of classes, you will receive an official e-mail from evaluation administrators with a link to the online evaluation site. You will have up to 2 weeks to complete this evaluation. Your participation is an integral part of this course, and your feedback is vital to improving education at Purdue University. I strongly urge you to participate in the evaluation system. Attendance. Clearly, attendance is critical for your success in the class: You are expected to attend every class and to be on time for class. You will lose 1% off your final grade each time you are tardy to class. You will be allowed two absences for illness. You will lose 5% off your final grade for each absence after the first two. For anyone accumulating more than three instances of tardiness or three unexcused absences, a Disposition Assessment Form (Form D-2) will be filed. If you are absent on the day an assignment is due, you are still responsible for turning it in on that day. You may e-mail it to your instructor or send it in with a classmate. If you are absent on the day of a quiz or test, you will be expected to make it up during the next class. Failure to do so will result in a zero on the quiz or test. If you must miss class, e-mail your Purdue Instructor as soon as you know you will not be attending class. If you will be absent for more than 5 days and have not been able to reach the instructor in person, by telephone, or by leaving notification of your circumstances with the instructor s secretary, you or your representative should notify the Office of the Dean of Students (765-494-1747) as soon as possible after becoming aware that the absence is necessary. Be advised, you may be asked to provide documentation from an authorized professional or agency that supports an explanation for your absence. Your Purdue Instructor has the authority to excuse absences at her discretion under extenuating circumstances. Class Participation. In this class, attendance and participation are two different things. Class participation points are earned. Participating effectively in this course means that: You have read the assigned material in advance and are prepared to discuss the material in class. You are on time for class sessions. Please be on time and remain for the entire period. Arriving late and/or leaving early is inconsiderate of your colleagues. If you are engaging in other activities (e.g., text messaging, writing in your planner, reading the paper, chatting with friends about social events) or if you are so tired that your eyes are closing, you are choosing inconsiderate behavior. You will receive zero participation credit for that day. Merely being present and awake during class does not constitute participating. You must offer constructive comments and questions. Please ask questions or make comments about the literacy materials that will benefit the entire class. You need to participate actively in class activities and not simply leave it to your colleagues to carry the load. Complaining or making negative or sarcastic comments about assignments, other instructors, classmates, or students during class will not be tolerated.
10 Assignments. Assignments are due at the beginning of class. If an assignment is turned in late, 5% of the points allocated to the task will be deducted for each late day. Assignments will not be accepted if they are over 1 week late. This policy will apply to all students, even those absent from class. Course instructors are happy to meet with students to discuss assignments. Please do not turn in an assignment early and ask your instructor to tell you how to fix it or if it is correct. Come with specific questions. Instructors have many students and are not able to preview your assignment to ensure you have done it correctly. Assignments will be clearly outlined on assignment sheets and in class. If you have questions about any assignment, you may ask them before or after class, or you may e-mail your instructor; but you must do so at least 48 hours before the assignment is due. No questions will be considered the day or night before a due date. Any assignment that is turned in late must be accompanied by a note of explanation. At times you may receive special permission for an extension, but without the note your instructor will still take off late points. If you receive a grade that you question or are concerned about, you must wait at least 24 hours before scheduling a conference. Rules for Using E-Mail. E-mail can be an extremely useful tool, but it is important to set up some ground rules for how it will be used in this course. Do not expect your instructor to check e-mail at night. Your instructor has a busy life and usually doesn t work after 5:00 p.m. If you have a question about an assignment, do not e-mail the night before it is due and then not turn it in because your instructor didn t answer your question. Instructors may not answer questions about assignments over e-mail if the request comes less than 48 hours before an assignment is due.